UNDERSTANDING is the end of philosophic studies. The beginning
lies in confusion. So we have to start with confused minds and
lead them to clarity. It is not that people do not think: they definitely do. They apply their minds, however, mainly to tangible
things rather than ideas. They are usually able to solve practical
problems -- concerning home and work, food and clothes, friends
and enemies -- just as well as, if not better than, distinguished
scholars. But when it cmomes to matters of general significance,
scientific or philosophic, their intellectual processes are haphazard, superficial and hesitant, through lack of experience and
training. Just as some scholars manage to live chiefly by theory
without practice, so most people succeed in living chiefly by
practice without theory. And yet this does not prevent them from
thinking. They even argue, sometimes with deep conviction,
about things they have negligible acquaintance with, such as income tax or the use of atomic energy. How can they do it?

The strange truth seems to be that it is not necessary to understand deeply or correctly in order to think and to argue. Under
the influence of home upbringing, family affiliations, school education, community interests, church sermons, political campaigns,
newspaper comments, law pressures, and the like, the individual
finds himself committed to taking sides before he clearly comprehends what is involved in them. Besides, if he happens to express
disagreement with the prevailing public opinions, he will soon
learn that too many departures-or even one serious departure --
from traditions and "common sense" may bring unpleasant consequences. Conformity thus becomes an advantage and, in the
end, a virtue. Under these conditions, inertness of the mind turns
out to be rather typical of men.

Epictetus, a Roman philosopher-slave, once said that "men are
disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinions
about the things." We can go one step farther and maintain that

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